Old things, things about the past such as knowledge, experiences and understandings for those things are what you require to remain safe and secure. Let me provide an example by discussing one of my favorite books on self-defense, "In the Name of Self-Defense," by Marc MacYoung, a violence (and other things) professional.
I took up karate for several reasons, all probably like those you chose when you took up the study of karate. One of my main intents was to protect myself in violent situations that I would find myself in my "yut (youth)." I also took it up to improve my hand-to-hand combat abilities as a Marine who served from 72 to 81. As a Marine stationed on Okinawa it wasn't hard to find and take up karate, it is the home of karate of Okinawa, right?
Back to the book in example, it dawned on me reading it for the first time, like reading many of his and other professionals books, that the content was huge, awesome and plenty of it. I also had to consider that the volume of information meant that I needed to really study it. This means to me that I must revisit the content of his book over time to really get things, absorb the information and hopefully come to understand it in a fundamental way.
I have about four copies that starting with the first copy read it once; read and highlighted things on the second go round; transcribed the highlights into a notebook; then read it again - first book done. I repeated this, revisited the book and content, through the next three books. Here is the best thing, regardless of how much I read, noted and understood I still find myself having to "revisit old things," old well worn books, to not just remind and remember but to discover those things I failed to get on the first four rounds and to revamp, polish and update my knowledge and understanding often correcting errors that simply go past my studies - over time.
I then realized on a more conscious level just how important it is to revisit old things in not just academic studies such as this book, but also in the very thing I trained, practiced, polished and applied through karate and many other disciplines I use to enhance that understanding of karate and self-protection (Hoshin-jutsu [保身術]).
I have to say that this strategy and tactic of study has born fruit especially in the arena of "what I knew, what I know and what I thought I knew" in regard to self-defense defense. There were so many things that only luck left me standing and free when in truth it should have gotten me gravely harmed, killed or jailed. I do have a good guardian angel at my side.
Revisiting and revamping and literally changing things has been the greatest lesson I could have learned, still working to overcome old habits tho, in my studies of self-protection through karate training.
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